Securing trim panel



Jan. 2, 1934. B. c. PLACE SECURING TRIM PANEL 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April 11. 1932 Gttorneg Jan; 2, 1934. B. c. PLACE SECURING TRIM PANEL Filed April 11. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECURING TRIM PANEL Bion 0. Place, Detroit,

Mich., assignor of one- 11 Claims.

This invention relates to the securing of trim panels to the interior of automobile bodies, and to a method of constructing trim panels and applying the necessary fasteners thereto.

Arrangements heretofore proposed for securing trim panels to the interior of automobile bodies by means of snap fasteners have necessitated the perforation of the relatively stifffibrous body of the panel to permit the fastener to pass through said foundation or body from the rear, or normally unexposed face, thereof in order that the fasteners could be assembled with respect to the panel after the outer surface thereof was covered with the customary finishing material, usually a fabric of suitable character. Such arrangements are regarded as somewhat objectionable by some persons because of the weakening of the panels adjacent the edges thereof by the formation of the openings just referred to, and because the portion of the fastener that is passed through said opening is thus disposed immediately beneath the fabric cover for the body where under certain conditions it may be visible by causing the covering fabric to bulge outwardly above the fastener.

Attempts have been made to avoid the drawbacks referred to by binding some, or all, of the edges of the sides of the foundation or body of the panel with astiff metallic binder. This, in some instances, was applied so that a portion thereof was disposed between the fabric covering for the foundation or body and the head of the fastener. In other instances, the stiff me.- tallic binder was used as the means to carry the fasteners, that is, the fasteners were assembled with respect to the stiff binder, applied to the fabric foundation or body, rather than directly with the body. In view of the stiffness of the metal from which the binders just referred to were formed, it was essential that the portions thereof which were intended to'receive the fasteners, be ofiset to provide room between the binder and the foundation for the reception of the portions of the fasteners disposed therebetween, or that the foundation be perforated to provide the necessary space.

Both arrangements are somewhat objectionable, the former because the offsetting served to space the panel from the supporting structure, and the latter because of the perforation of the body.

This invention overcomes all of the objectionable characteristics, to which reference has just been made, by providing a panel that includes a foundation some, or all, of the edges of which are reenforced by a very thin deformable sheet metal binder that is secured to the foundation by suitable fastening elements. This binder is utilized to hold the fasteners assembled with respect to the panel, the fastening elements, rather 60, than the inherent stiffness of the binder, being relied upon to maintain the latter, as well as the snap fasteners, assembled with respect thereto in proper relation to the panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal bound foundation or body for a trim panel in which the binder does not materially increase the thickness of the foundation of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trim panel having a binder for the edges thereof constructed of a thin soft deformable metallic strip enabling spring fasteners to be assembled with said strip by a slight deformation of the stripto bring about a lateral interlock between fastener and panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of making a trim panel or the foundation for a trim panel, that is provided with an edging firmly secured to the foundation or'body of the panel so that both sides of the body or panel are devoid of projections or protuberances of any kind to the end that the panel will lie close to the supporting structure at all points.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of assembling fasteners with respect to the trim panel consisting in the deformation of a metallic edging of the panel only to the extent necessary to bring about the desired assembly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trim panel including a fabric covering that is lapped around the edges of the panel in which the thickness of the panel, at the point where the fasteners are assembled with respect thereto, does not exceed the thickness of the panel at the edges at which the fabric is folded against the rear of the foundation or body.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trim panel which does not include a fabric covering, but consists solely of a fabric foundation or body that may be suitably embossed orsurface-treated to give it ornamentation, and a metallic edging that enhances the appearance thereof and that is, at the same time, utilized to 1 hold the fasteners by which the panel is secured to the supporting structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved fastener whereby trim-panels may be secured to a supporting structure, in

which the two arms, carrying the legs of the fastener which constitute the shank thereof, are formed on curved lines that are tangent to each other at a single point so that when the legs are caused to be toward each other the arms rock upon the curved surfaces in opposition to the inherent resilience of the head of the fastener.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as this description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a body or foundation for a panel of the present invention at the completion of the first operation thereof.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a metal edging or binder secured to the edges of the body or foundation.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the body or panel illustrated in Figure 2, and illustrating in dotted lines one way of making the body when the same is to be used without a fabric cover.

Figure 4: is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 in Figure 3.

Figure 4a is a fragmentary view showing a preferred way of providing the foundation or body of the panel with surfaces devoid of projections or protuberances.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane indicated by line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane indicated by the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary rear view of a portion of the metal bound panel having a preferred form of spring fastener assembled with respect thereto.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear view of a trim panel corresponding to the present invention, including a fabric cover for the one surface thereof which cover laps the rear or foundation of the body adjacent the edges thereof.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 1010 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 11-11 in Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are respectively, top, side and rear views of the preferred form of fastener foundation 10 is formed of relatively stiff cardboard, or wire reenforced fibre'board or any other suf iciently stifi material.

In order that snap or spring fasteners may be applied to the panel after its construction has been completed in the proper locations on the panel, indicia 11, which may conveniently be indentations or depressions, or the like, are formed,-

' preferably in the cutting or stamping operation.

to all or only certain of the edges thereof as may be desired. Preferably, the sides of the panel, that are to be attached to the supporting structure by spring fasteners, are provided with such edging or binding. In the illustrated automobile door panel the upper edge, which frequently is lapped by a molding or finishing strip and thus secured, no binding is shown applied thereto.

Preferably, the binding 12 laps both sides of the edges of the foundation, as well as the ends thereof being U-shaped in cross-section as illustrated providing a portion 13,. that extends over the outer side of the panel body, and a portion 14, that covers a part of the rear surface of the body 10. The portion 14 constitutes thefastener receiving portion, while 13 may serve, when a fabric cover is omitted and the panel consists, only of a fibre foundation, to partially lap the front of the panel. Such portion may in the latter event be provided with ornamentation, such as surface or embossed designs, or it may be provided with a suitable metallic finish, such as chromium plating or the like, to give it a pleasing appearance.

An important part of thepresent invention consists in the use of a very thin, soft, deformable strip of metal to form the binder 12. Such a strip is inexpensive, adds little weight to the panel, is easy to apply and, what is particularly important, adds no substantial thickness to the body though it adds substantial strength thereto and provides, as hereinafter pointed out, a very satisfactory fastener attaching means. A sheet steel or zinc strip having a thickness of the order of .01 inch is preferred.

' A strip, such as just described does not possess sufficient stifiness to enable it to be satisfactorily applied by bending it around the edges of the body and relying upon a gripping of the body between the walls of the U-shaped strip, as heretofore proposed. Fastening elements, that penetrate the strip and body are accordingly used to secure the strip and body in permanent assembled relation. Such elements may be staples 15, the legs 16 of which penetrate the fibrous body in whole or'in part and are clinched into the body as shown at 17 (Figure 5) The staples are definitely located with respect to the indicia 11 on the body so as to maintain the portion 14 of the binder free of attachment to the body opposite said points for a purpose hereinafter stated. To this end, the staples are arranged at each side of each fastener receiving position as illustrated particularly in Figures 7 and 9.

The staples 15 for the edging or binder 12 need not pass through the portion 13. Said portion 13 may be very short, as shown in Figure 11, or preferably just sufficient to bind the edges of the panel to which it is applied.

After the binding has been applied to all edges of the body intended to receive it, and secured thereto as by stapling as just described, it is desirable and this invention contemplates the flattoning of'the bound panel by subjecting same to heavy pressure distributed over the entire area thereof to level all projecting parts of the binder, staples and even surface irregularities in the panel. This is preferably accomplished by subjecting the bound foundations to the pressure of a press head 18 having a smooth surface 19. The foundation is placed upon a stationary or movable platen 20, having a smooth surface 21,

shown in Figure 4a. The surfaces of the hound panel or foundation are flattened lay caus r l5 and platen 2th to move toward each other by'meansiwell known in the art. The

. resultant foundation isperfectly flat, has noprovided, the body thereof between the edges maybe jections or protuberances, and the binder" is I pressed into'the fibrous body so that the foundation, after the completion of the operation just described, is of substantially thesame thickness at the edges as at the parts thereof that are not' covered by the thin binding material. .The. .ex- 1 posed portions of the staples may during this operation be pressed in slight depressions: 20',

formed in the soft binder (Figure '7). v

When an uncovered bound panel is to-be proornamented by embossing the same during the operation of flattening the panel, as by corrugating the same in any desired outline, such as illustrated at 22 in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4. To this end the surfaces 19 and 21' may be shaped to bring this about.

Preferably, the surface of the panel is further ornamented by a coating of surfacing material 21' that is suitably embossed to present a pleasing appearance. Such coating may, if desired, cover the portion 13 and be embossed on said portion as indicated inFigure 2 of the drawings, so as to give the whole panel a uniform appearance.

If the body or foundation 10 is to be covered, a fabric cover 23 of suitable material is adhesively secured to the outer face of the body, and the edges 24 thereof lapped around the binder. Wadding may be used between the fabric 23 and the body, though preferably this is omitted and the fabric cemented directly to the body and the bound edges thereof. Opposite the fastener positions, the edges 24 of the fabric cover, which preferably, do not completely cover the binder, as shown in Figure 9, are provided with V or suitably formed cuts 25 to reduce the thickness of the panel at these points for a purpose hereinafter described.

It will be observed that the panel just described, which is ready for the reception of spring fasteners, that are intended to secure it to the supporting structure, is unperf'orated in the body and that the binder likewise is of the same character at every point so that no special application is needed in order that it may serve its intended purpose as a means for attaching the spring fasteners to the panel.

The panel just described is adapted to receive fasteners of various kinds and forms though it is peculiarly fitted to be adequately secured by the spring fastener illustrated in Figures 12, 13 and 14. This fastener, which is similar to that described in my Patent #1,6'79,266, consists of a head 26 and a shank 27projeeting away from the planes of the head. The head 26 includes a loop 28, preferably formed from the mid-portion of a single piece of spring wire, and a pairof arms 29 and 30 formed by bending the portions of wire adjacent the ends of the loop inwardly toward the opening in the loop. The arms 29 and 30 are curved and contact between their ends as shown at 31. .Said arms are carried out of the plane of the loop so as to present an opening 32 (Figure 13) between the loop 28 and the arms 29 and 30, which together form the head 28 which may be said to be hook-shaped because of the fact that said head may be hooked on a panel by causing a portion of the panel to be entered between tne loop 28 and arms 29 and 30 through opening 32.

The shank 27 consists of the legs 33 and 34, which are bowed outwardly between the ends structure; "It will be ob'serv indicated thereof "and the head, to form' divergently :di'sposed holdingportions 35 and 36and convergently disposed guiding portions .37 'and-38; whicha'iunction simila'rlyto'tlie corresponding partsi 'offamy patent above referred'to'; when the shank of ltheg fastener is" entered in ani'opening=in at'suppdrting d, however, since the curved arms 29. and 30 that carry.:the legs' 33Iahdu341a1'e to move toward each other asthe shankistforced in the opening in the supporting strdctureg-zthe arms rock ontheir contacting-curved surfaces. This rocking is yieldinglyiresisted bythe loop :28,

which is forced open against the." inherent 'resilience of this portion ofthe wire, fromzwhich the fastener is preferably formed.. lnythisnway the stiffness and resilience of the fastener is'enhanced and the 'springine'ss of :the wire;forming the loop is utilized to add resilience ,tothe shank of the fastener, theslegs of which exerta'continuously effective yielding-pull on the-head5of the fastener tending to drawthe.latterhtoward the supporting structure asdescribed in my patent above referred to. 1' --.Im-;;

The fastener just; described is assembled .with respect to the panel above explained byslight distortion of the portion 1410f binder 12yto-bring about a lateral interlock. between edging "and fastener as illustrated vinliiguresW, 8, 9"and .,10. To bring this aboutlthe DOItiOIIrOf the-. binder between staples 15,-which is free of attachment to the body of the'.;panel,is forced tov enter the small opening 32 in the hook-like headofqthe fastener. This is readily accomplished in,,vie .w of the flexibility of the metal'constituting the binder. The fastener is forced on the binder.until the edge of portion14 contacts with the portions of the head of the fastener that connect the loop 28 to the arms 29 and 30., Since the latter extend into the plansbetween, which the;loop 28 lies, the hooking-of thehead of the fastener will cause the portion 14 to assume a sinuous form adjacent the edge thereof as indicated by, the numeral 40 in Figures 8 and 10. The fastener is thus held from free movement laterally, or along the edge of the portion 14 of binder 12. The binder is thus caused to project away from-the body a minimum amount andthe panel will lie close to the supporting structure when the shanks of the fasteners have been applied to the openings therein designed to receive them. when a fabric cover is used it will be observed from Figures 9 and 10, that in view of the factthat the tumed back edge of the cover is cut away at the points .of application of the fasteners that the protrusion of the binder, caused by the booking of the head of the fastener thereon, does not exceed the thickness of the cover so that the turned back edge of the cover will contact with the supporting structure at every point. v Fasteners are applied to the binder at intervals, a fastener being applied opposite each indication 11 in the manner just described, whe n in contact at 31'; tlrat wvhen said legs arercausedai the panel is to be secured to the supporting structure. The panel is then ready for attachment which is brought about by snapping the protruding shanks of the fasteners into appropriately formed openings in the supporting structure as described in my Patent #1,679,266. The applied panel lies flush, or substantially flush, against the supporting structure. It is of light weight andlow cost. The metal presents a suitable carrier for the fasteners in view of the tensile strength that is characteristic of even thin metal. a

The applicat1on or the fasteners is simple and easy and no preliminary shaping or cutting of the metal is required, since each fastener makes its own socket upon assembly on the binder as above pointed out by deformation thereof.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing de scription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

-What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A trim panel ready for the reception of snap fasteners of the kind that may be hooked into engagement with a part of the panel, consisting of a relatively stiff body, a soft deformable me'tallic imperforate binder for an edge of said body, said binder being secured to said body at opposite sides of and relatively closely spaced to the parts thereof intended to each receive one of said fasteners, and a fabric covering for one face of said body lapped around said binder, said fabric being cut away opposite said parts.

2. A trim panel ready for attachment to a supporting structure, consisting of a relatively stiff body, a soft deformable metallic imperforate binder for an edge of said body, said binder being secured to said body at opposite sides of and relatively closely spaced to parts thereof intended to each receive a fastener having a head in the form of a hook, and a resilient shank extending away from said head, a fabric covering for one face of said body lapped aroundsaid binder but cut away opposite said parts, and fasteners hooked on said parts by forcing portions of the heads thereof between said parts and the body therebeneath by distortion of the soft metal of which said parts are composed.

3. A trim panel ready for the reception of snap fasteners of the kind that may be hooked into engagement with a partof the panel, consisting of a fibrous body, a thin soft deformable flat me tallic binder for an edge of said body, and means to secure said binder to said body at spaced intervals said binder being free of attachment to said body between said means whereby said fasteners may be assembled with respect to said panel by deformation of said binder to bring a part of each of said fasteners between said binder and body.

4. A trim panel including a body of fibrous material stamped to the outline of the surface to be covered, a thin soft deformable flat metallic binder for certain edges of said body lapping the normally unexposed surface thereof, and means to secure said binder to said body so that portions thereof that lap said surface are free of attachment to said body so thatfasteners may soft deformable metallic binder enclosing certain edges thereof and pressed into said body, said binder being of the order of one one-hundredth of an inch whereby the thickness of said edges is not materially increased 6. A foundation for a trim panel consisting of a body of fibrous material cut substantially to the outline of the surface to be covered, and a thin soft deformable unperforated metallic binder for certain edges thereof pressed into said body, said binder lapping the normally unexposed surface of said foundation to a substantial degree and having the lapping portion thereof secured flatwise to said body at intervals so as to permit fasteners to be subsequently assembled with respect thereto by engagement of the fasteners with and deformation of said binder.

7. A trim panel ready for attachment upon a supporting structure consisting of a body cer-. tain edges having secured thereto ,a soft deformable metallic strip, and snap fasteners interlocked with said strips by deformation of the latter.

L8. A trim panel ready for attachment upon a supporting structure consisting of a body, certain edges having secured thereto a soft deformable metallic strip and snap fasteners having spaced parts to engage one side of said strip and 1 5 intermediate part engaging the other side thereof, said strip passing sinuously through said parts.

9. The method of making a trim panel which includes stamping a fibrous body in the desired 1 outline and at the same operation impressing indicia to show the proper positions for fasteners to secure the panel in place, binding certain of the edges thereof with a soft deformable metallic binder, securing said binder to said foundation by fastening elements disposed relatively close to said indicia, and subjecting the body to pressure applied to opposite sides thereof to smooth irregularities in said body, binder or fastening ele-' ments and to cause the binder to be pressed in 1 the fibrous body. 10. The method of applying fasteners to a metal bound body of a trim panel, which consists in forcing apart of each fastener between the metal binder and said body by deformation 5 of the binder.

11. The method of constructing a trim panel ready for the reception of fasteners, consisting in cutting a fibrous body for the panel to the outline of the surface to be covered, applying a thin, soft, deformable, metallic binder to certain edges 'of said body, securing said binder at spaced intervals from the side at which the fasteners are to be subsequently applied, and flattening the bound body under suificient pressure to cause the thin binder and the securing means to 'be pressed into the fibrous body so that the panel is of substantially the same thickness at the bound edges as therebetween.

BION'C. PLACE. 

